A Victorian multicultural community leader has been named the nation's new race discrimination commissioner, after debate within Government ranks about whether the position is even needed.

Attorney-General Christian Porter announced Chin Tan would take up the role from Monday.

Mr Tan has most recently been working at Swinburne University in Melbourne as the director of multicultural engagement, and has previously run the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

He was born in Malaysia, but moved to Australia for university before embarking on a 20-year legal career.

Mr Tan replaces Tim Soutphommasane, who ended his five-year term in August, and argues he will not shy away from the job in the face of recent political pressures.

"Someone has to do it," Mr Tan told the ABC's AM program.

"I'm not in the business of criticising people, but we are tackling the issues," he said.

"If there's racism there, or racial issues there, we'll certainly deal with those and we will call them out as they are."

When asked whether Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was out of line to suggest African gang violence in Melbourne scaring people away from going out for dinner, Mr Tan said it was up to the public to judge.

"I think the issues are about crime and about support for communities," he said.

"I'm from Melbourne … and I feel comfortable going out for dinners at night, so I've got no issues with that.

"My point is always to deal with the crime, and support the community."

The Attorney-General described Mr Tan as a "well-respected community leader".

"I am confident that Mr Tan will make a valuable contribution to our community by representing all Australians and upholding our values through his role as race discrimination commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission," Mr Porter said in a statement.

"Mr Tan's story is like that of so many Australians who were born overseas and chose to make a new life in Australia."

Labor concerned position was due to be scrapped

The Federal Opposition had been critical of the Coalition for what it described as delays in replacing Mr Soutphommasane, alleging there could have been moves afoot to tinker with the role or scrap it altogether.